Feature Friday with Isabella Norse

Welcome to Isabella Norse a kindred spirit! She’s here for Feature Friday with her novel Assasin’s Heart.

Guest Post – Isabella Norse

What is your Latest Obsession?

My latest obsession is the video game Diablo III. I just finished my first play-through and started a new one. I’m currently a level 33 wizard.

Who is your Secret Crush?

Some women have book boyfriends; I have video game boyfriends. My infatuation with virtual men in body armor dates back to the first time that I laid eyes on Boba Fett in the Star Wars franchise. In addition to well-armored, I like my virtual men cocky and self-confident. While there are many that fit that description, my heart belongs to Garrus Vakarian, the Turian vigilante from the Mass Effect video game series. I adore Garrus from the top of his feather-like “fringe” to the bottom of his two-toed, taloned feet.

Shoes? Purses? or Jewelry?

None of the above. I hate shopping with an absolute passion and put it off as long as possible. I have a very guy-like mentality when it comes to shopping: get in, grab the necessary item and get out again as quickly as possible.

Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? Or something else?

I can only handle limited quantities of caffeine so both my coffee and tea are decaf. My daily splurge is limited to one can/bottle of Diet Mountain Dew – liquid Nirvana.

What was your　Best Vacation Ever?

Oddly enough, my best vacation ever was also one of my shortest. My husband and I are big fans of the TV show The Walking Dead, which is filmed in our home state. Last Memorial Day weekend, we piled into our trusty Toyota Highlander and hit the road for an overnight trip, armed only with smart phones and the Google map that shows where each scene is filmed. Usually I spend days agonizing over the best hotel deal and planning every detail of a trip; for that trip, I didn’t plan anything – I didn’t even make a hotel reservation in advance. We had a great time – with no agenda, there was no pressure to rush from one place to the next. And just think – if I had made a detailed agenda, we might never have discovered Barbie Beach!

Lillie is an assassin. It’s not exactly the life she would have chosen, but she has made the best of it. Until now. Disguised as a servant at the palace, she waits for an opportunity to kill the heir to the throne. Her conscience tells her that killing an innocent man is wrong, but failure to do so will mean her death.

Nef, a handsome stable hand, is intrigued by the young red-haired maid that has charmed the animals in his care. He longs to know her better but harbors secrets of his own – secrets that could rock the very foundations of the kingdom.

With their lives forfeit, Lillie and Nef must work together to find a way to save themselves, their love, and two thrones from destruction at the hands of an evil overlord.

***

Excerpt:

My reverie was broken by the sound of a horse screaming, quickly followed by complete chaos. Voices echoed around the courtyard.

“Whoa!”

“Grab him!”

“Are you crazy?”

“Look out!” This was followed by the sound of wood cracking and more screams from an obviously terrified horse.

“Lillie! Help!”

I was on my feet and running before the cry had finished echoing around the hall. I met Nef coming up the servant’s staircase as I was heading down. He grabbed my arm and almost hauled me off of my feet as he turned and ran for the yard.

“It’s Cefus! The farrier’s apprentice put him in the travis…”

“The what?”

“The travis.” He shook his head in frustration. “It’s a wooden frame the horse stands in for shoeing. Anyway, I don’t know what happened, but before Konal could do anything, Cefus went crazy, rearing and kicking. We’ve got to get him calmed down before he hurts himself or someone else.”

“What…do…you…want…me…to…do?” I puffed. My teeth practically rattled together as I struggled to match Nef’s much longer stride.

“I don’t care. You’re the one who communicates with animals! Do something! Anything!”

We ran through the kitchens, shoved our way through the workers who had gathered at the door to stare at the happenings outside and immediately skidded to a halt. The scene before us was utter pandemonium. Men were everywhere, yelling, waving their arms and caps, and being generally unhelpful.

Cefus had succeeded in smashing his way out of the travis – bits of wood were still tangled in his mane. He reared repeatedly, lashing out blindly with his forefeet. Warhorses were a large breed with broad chests, strong legs, and massive hooves. Even a glancing blow from one of those flailing feet could kill, which was precisely why they were used in battle. A warhorse did more than merely transport its rider into combat – it fought, its iron-shod feet felling enemies as easily as any sword.

I loved Cefus. My fear for my friend compelled me into action and I leapt into the fray, grabbing the arm of the man nearest me before he could brandish the stick in his hand again.

“Put that away, you fool! You’re only making things worse! Can’t you see that he’s scared?”

“Get away from me, girl! This here is men’s business.” He shoved me – hard.

I stumbled over the uneven stones of the yard. Fortunately, the only thing injured was my pride.

Fine. Apparently we were going to have to do this the hard way.

I regained my balance and approached my adversary, who was once again waving his stick and yelling. He was so busy doing ‘men’s business’ that he didn’t even notice my approach. However, that changed when I grabbed his balls and twisted. He hit the ground with a rather satisfying thud. I snatched the stick out of his hands and waved it under his nose.

“I said that you are only making things worse. Now, get out of here before I use this on you.”

***

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GURJOTK

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/assassins-heart-isabella-norse/1117562666?ean=2940149039746

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id765080495

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/assassin-s-heart-2

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Contact Info

Website: www.isabellanorse.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaNorseAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIzzy